


Main Street Burning

by orphan_account



Series: Frontiers [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Drug Use, M/M, Marijuana, Shotgunning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-22
Updated: 2012-04-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 03:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/389325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's almost fourteen and his brother is offering to share some weed with him. Makes sense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Main Street Burning

Sometimes Bro does things with Dave. Sometimes he takes him to movies or out to eat. When he was little Bro would take him to a park or a big aquarium. Only sometimes. Dave's learned to treasure these moments. He doesn't ever act like he's excited to spend time with his brother, almost enigmatic in the way he floats in and out of Dave's life as he pleases. It's a thing he blandly agrees to. It's the restraint against grabbing Bro's arm when they walk out the door like he's half his age. It's the comfort he feels as he sits in Bro's car, smelling the leather and the clinging smoke and feeling vibrations in his body from the rap being transmitted from a fucking satellite in space. Bro is so cool.

They walk out of a movie theater and into the warm Houston night. The sky's all fading sunlight and wiry clouds. They're in an alleyway near a blocked exit to the street. Bro's led him out the emergency exit, and Dave's wondering why until he sees his brother procure a small metal pipe from his pocket. Dave only makes those jokes about weed and only knows about it because of his brother. He walks after him. Hands in his pockets and head tilted toward the sky, acting disinterested.

Bro pulls a lighter out of his pocket. It's transparent orange and emblazoned with the logo of a local smoke shop. Dave's seen it a hundred times. 

He's leaning against the wall and staring at a pair of seagulls fighting over the contents of a nearby dumpster when he hears the lighter flick. Bro's hunched over the little pipe, back to him, and Dave watches his muscles move under his shirt as he inhales deeply. The kid doesn't know what to say. He's got all these convoluted metaphors and similes in his head but they never elicit any sort of reaction from Bro. He's the master of wordplay here.

"Want some?"

Dave's caught up in his own thoughts and Bro's voice jumps at him. He's never offered him pot before. Maybe it's because Dave's birthday is approaching. He's almost fourteen and his brother is offering to share some weed with him. Makes sense.

"You serious? Nah. I just texted your info to the nearest CPS center, by the way." Dave approaches, looking at Bro for a hint of a smile. Bro looks only vaguely amused but he's not saying anything. Just holding his pipe out. Dave grabs the pipe by the bowl. It's hot and he quickly switches it to his other hand, holding the stem. He wants to act like he knows just what to do here, but it's obvious he doesn't.

Bro hands him the lighter. Dave slides the tip of the pipe into his mouth and tries to copy the way he's seen Bro doing it. Flicks the lighter on and hovers it over the dense little bud, and he tries to inhale.

Dave only lasts a second before he's coughing, hard and desperate. He's embarrassed, but he didn't expect it to burn that much. His brother approaches, tapping the end of the pipe. Despite being metal, it has a carburetor on the side. "You good?" Dave nods at the question, feeling tears in his eyes from the exertion. Thank fuck his shades hide all of that. 

"Hold this when you toke." Bro manipulates Dave's thumb over the small hole. "I know," the younger Strider mutters, almost inaudible. Bro reaches up to ruffle his hair and Dave ducks away, already trying to light up again. This time he does what his brother told him and keeps his thumb over the hole. It burns again but Dave's expecting it this time. He's able to hold his breath a few seconds longer before coughing a cloud out, thick smoke billowing out into the night.

"Haha, nice." Dave's chest swells inadvertently at the compliment. Bro thought he was cool then. Dave coughs a few more times before he swipes the cup of Coke he'd set on the floor. The ice inside has melted, making it watery, but it's a relief to his throat. 

Dave hands the pipe and the lighter back to his brother and leans back against the wall. The effects are kicking in pretty quick, or so he thinks. His body feels weird, floaty, as if he's in gentle motion without actually moving. Dave smiles despite himself. Something about that is kind of funny. He's watching Bro light up and toke some more and smiling at him like a moron. Not very cool.

It's hypnotic to just watch his brother inhale, hold it in for what seems like five minutes before he lets it shoot from his nostrils like some kind of dragon. Bro doesn't cough at all.

"You doing alright, kiddo? Lookin' a little loopy. It's like Millenium Force or some shit over there." Dave stops smiling, reaching a hand up to press it into his own hair. He feels kind of dumb and sluggish and high, which he totally fucking is. 

"Uh, yeah," he replies, pushing himself off the wall. Bro's lighting up. "C'mere," he says, wisps of smoke escaping his mouth as he talks. Dave's grinning again already as he walks toward his brother. His guardian. He's tall and strong and Dave wants to lean against his chest but he doesn't. Bro reaches out, one gloved hand grabbing his chin. He tilts it up. Lightly, gently. Hands that could slice through a shitty soccer mom SUV like it was straight margarine. Dave's fixated on his brother's face.

"Open your mouth," Bro murmurs, and Dave does, instantly. When it comes to lessons in how to keep it gangster, he'll do anything Bro says. He's so cool and Dave loves him even if he doesn't fully understand him.

Bro's leaning down and Dave thinks he's going to kiss him or something. He's never kissed his brother on the lips before but Bro's mouth is close enough to try. Dave resigns to a brief giggle, which is horrifying in the rational side of his brain, but the other side is coated in THC and couldn't care less. It's then he feels something. Pot smoke being blown gently into his open mouth and Dave bites the air. Bro's smirking at him and Dave's showing his teeth, standing tip-toed to reach better. 

After a pause Bro's trying to breathe the rest of what's in his lungs into Dave's mouth. Dave tries a different tactic, inhaling through his mouth. The smoke feels less harsh as it curls down his throat this time. It swirls up his nose and he's breathing it in. Smells strong and piney and his head's in a cloud now, a pleasant clusterfuck of emotions and phantom movements. There's heaviness in his brain and he wants to lie down. Bro's pulling away from him and Dave reaches out for him before he can think. He curls his skinny fingers into Bro's shirt and holds like he needs support. Rather than being pushed away, the boy can feel a hand on his back, directing him toward the parking lot. Bro's got him and Dave lets his hands drop, walking unsteadily next to him. It's okay.

"Check this out," Dave starts to mumble, a grin breaking his face again. "I call it the-- blitzed honky two-step. Gonna make this shit infamous in the club." He feels Bro rub at the space in the middle of his back as if he's reassuring him and Dave thinks his joke was successful. "Soulja Boy's protege, huh? Best get your trademark on before someone punks your idea." His brother's voice feels low and rumbly like a purring motor and Dave wishes he weren't out in public with the way he's smiling like that. He glances up at his brother, face unreadable as always, before nearly tripping over the curb.

They cross the street and head into the parking lot. Bro takes his keys out and they produce a sound familiar to Dave. The car unlocks and Dave gets in. Sits on leather seats and lets his eyes drift to the miniature puppet dangling on the rearview mirror. Bro gets in and starts the car up and it's dark in here. Comfortingly dark. Dave closes his eyes as he leans back against the seat. He feels Bro putting his seat belt on for him. Hears the music being turned down just enough to be audible without disruptive and then they're in motion.

Dave is having a lot of thoughts right now. Rapid-fire pulses of memories and ideas that aren't voiced. He lets the car hum him to a half-sleep, alone with his thoughts. 

Bro drives them home in silence. He hadn't planned to share with Dave. It had just sort of happened. The reaction was both unexpected and predictable. The kid seemed to enjoy it and now he's falling asleep. Nothing wrong with that. The car has an unfamiliar quiet in it, despite the small noise of the XM radio. He swears he can hear Dave breathing but it might just be the pot.

He pulls into the parking garage he pays extra for across the street. The car slides to a stop and he pulls his keys out of the ignition. Gets out, shuts the door behind him and goes around to Dave's side. Bro opens the door for him and Dave is moving languidly, stretching a little. He can't tell if his eyes are open under those shades, but Dave slowly sits up and looks out the door. Bro backs up as Dave unbuckles his seat belt, stepping out of the car in a careful way. One glance between the two of them and Bro knows that Dave can make it to the apartment himself. They'll just take the elevator.

Bro leads the way and there's no conversation. Content, accepted silence like they're used to. They step into the small capsule and Bro hits the top floor as Dave leans back against the wall.

"Hey, bro?" Dave's voice suddenly punctures the air and Bro glances at him. "Can we watch another movie when we get home... ?" Dave's voice is plain and raw. Not laced with sarcasm or false irony or what he thinks is actual irony. The high is tapering off into stoned territory and Bro knows it too well. He steps backward, leaning against the wall with his younger brother.

"Sure, dude."

Dave smiles a sleepy smile that Bro can feel even before he looks down at Dave. Maybe when they get in they'll smoke some more. Maybe Dave will conk out on the couch before the movie's five minutes in. Maybe they'll playing the critic game and talk endless shit about whatever they're watching. Either way, they're going to be doing it together.

The awful sentimentality of these thoughts hits Bro like a freight train. Must be the pot.


End file.
